A top Boko Haram leader identified as Abdulkareem Ibrahim and two sub-commanders of the sect have been killed in a raid carried out by Nigerian troops in Maiduguri

Spokesperson of the JTF in Borno State Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa confirmed the killing to reporters, saying the raid was carried out on Sunday by a combined team of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the military in the restive Nigerian state.

He said the operation was carried out mainly to capture the sect commander who had been on the military's wanted list.

According to Musa, arms and ammunition including AK-47 rifles were also recovered during the raid and ensuing gun battle that led to death of the sect commander and the two other sub- commanders.

"Ibrahim was a notorious terrorist commander who had been responsible for the recent spates of assassinations and bomb attacks in Maiduguri. He was one of the top commanders recently declared in the bounty list released by the JTF to members of the public," the troops spokesperson said.

Maiduguri, located in Nigeria's northeastern region, is a Boko Haram flashpoint, where the Nigerian government had declared and lifted some curfews due to wave of attacks.